Musical toy.



F. A. HOSCHKE.

MUSICAL TOY.

APPLICATION men APR.16. m1.

Pdtented Nov. 27,1912.

2 SHEETS SHEET L WITNESS BY @MZJ ATTORNEYS.

F. A. HOSCHKE.

muslcAL 10v APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I917.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNES 40 INVENTOR. 17/6 E7? 26 130 Mrz'aA 170M242 BY M J r v ATTORNEYS.

FREDERICK A. HOSCHKE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MUSICAL. TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2'7, 1917.

Application filed. April 16. 1917. Serial No. 162,379.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Hosorikn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in musical toys and has for an object to provide a musical toy which resembles in outward appearance a player piano and which is provided with automatic mechanism to produce a tune together with a member formed to simulate the perforated music sheet of a player piano which sheet is arranged to be moved by the mechanism and is to be visible to the operator.

Another object of the invention is to combine with a separately operable toy piano a mechanism for automatically operating the latter, together with a member formed in simulation of a perforated music sheet of -a player piano which member is movable by the mechanism and is visible from without the piano, the toy being characterized in that the visible moving member seemingly controls the automatic playing of the piano.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention, in an embodiment at pres ent preferred, is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a toy piano embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 41 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevational view with parts broken away of the toy piano;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional iew taken similarly to Fig. 7 showing diagrammatically a modification of the invention.

The invention maybe embodied in any suitable type of toy piano and that illustrated in the drawings and to be described herein is used merely as an illustration of one specific form which is suitable for the present purposes. The piano'itself is substantially like that disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 658,284, granted to Albert Schoenhut September 18, 1900. Any other type of toy piano may be used as desired.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Fig. i, A represents a casing formed to resemble .an upright piano. Pivotally mounted on a longitudinal bar a are a series of keys I), each of which is provided with an upstanding arm 0. Above the keys b are two laterally spaced supports cl which extend longitudinally from one end of the casing to another and suitably nounted upon supports a? and bridging the space therebetween are a series of tone plates 6, one for each key Z). A hammer f is pivoted at 9 below each tone plate a and is adapted to strike the latter when its key Z) is de pressed. The structure thus far described is substantially like that shown in the abovementioned patent to which reference is made for a more complete disclosure.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4:, above the tone plates 6 is a horizontal shaft 10, rotatably m-ounted in the ends of casing A. Between shaft 10 and the rear wall of the latter is a rod 11 which may be fixed in the ends of casing A and which is arranged in parallel relation to the shaft. Pivotally mounted on rod 11 and held in axially spaced relation thereon in any suitable manner, as by sleeves 12, for example, are a plurality of arms 13 which normally extend vertically downward and abut at the rear on suitable buffers 14 of felt or the like. Each arm 13 is provided with a resilient finger 15 which extends forwardly therefrom and substantially at right angles therewith. Each finger 15 is provided with a depending hammer 16 which, when its arm 13 is positioned as shown in Fig. 1, barely clears the upper face of a tone plate 6. When however, an arm 13 is swung on its pivot in a manner to be de scribed to raise its hammer 16, the latter i on its descent delivers a sharp blow on its tone plate. Arms 13 and hammers 16 are relatively heavy as compared to fingers 15 and, when the descent of the arms is arrested by abutment with the bufiers 1-1, the hammers 16 continue to move by their kinetic energy until arrested by engagement lit) with the tone plates 6, the fingers 15 being light and flexible to permit this movement. Thus, single sharp blows may be delivered on the tone plates by swinging arms 13 forwardly on their pivots. The sharpness of the blow delivered by a hammer 16 may be increased by providing a flat spring 17 fixed to the casing A and bearing against the rear of a pin or screw 18 fixed in the upper end of arm 13. The use of the springs is particularly desirable when the tone plates 6 are of relatively high pitch.

Fixed on shaft 10 are a plurality of circular disks 20 and intermediate each pair of the latter are disks 21 of smaller diameter. As illustrated, the disks 20 and 21 are divided into two groups and the disks of each group are made integral although they need not necessarily be so made. Each arm 13 lies opposite a disk 21 and has a pin 22 projecting horizontally from one side face which is adapted to be engaged, lifted, and thereafter released by any of a plurality of pins 23 fixed in the periphery of disk 20 and projecting radially therefrom. The pins in each disk 20 are so distributed about its periphery that, when the shaft 10 revolves, the desired tone plates 6 are struck successively in a definite time order to produce the desired tune.

Referring to Fig. 3, shaft 10 is suitably driven as by a belt 26, for example, from a parallel shaft 25 rotatably mounted in the ends of easing A near the lower part thereof. Referring to Fig. 6, a suitable spring motor G is provided as a driving means for shaft 25. Motor C may advantageously consist of a spiral spring 27 which may be wound up in the usual and well known manner from time to time-by a suitable handle or key 28 which is preferably removable. Below shaft 25 and connected thereto by a suitable gear train 29 is a fan comprising two opposed blades 30 (Fig. 1). Vertically mounted on the rear of the casing is a rod 31 provided with a horizontal finger 32 which may be moved into or out of the path of blades 30 to stop or start the motor 0 in an obvious manner. Fixed to shaft 31 near the upper end thereof is a horizontal and forwardly extending arm 33 which is provided with a pin 34 (Figs. 2 and 5). The end disk 20 (that to the extreme right of Fig. 2) has a hole 35 in its face in which pin 34 (Fig. 5) may be positioned. Fixed to shaft 31 intermediate its ends is a horizontal rod 36 (Figs. 2 and 1) which extends forwardly through casing A and underlies the keyboard thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. A spring 37 (Figs. 4 and 6) connects rod 36 to a suitable part of easing A in such a manner that the described pin 3 1 is yieldingly forced against the end face of the last-mentioned end disk 20. When pin 34 rides on the face of the latter, finger 32 is moved out of the path of blades 30 so that motor C may revolve and drive shafts 25 and 10. When, however, hole 35 comes into alinement with pin 34:, the latter is forced therein to quickly stop shaft 10 and finger 32 is moved into the path of blades 30 to stop the motor O as soon as a blade 30 abuts with the finger. The shaft 10 is instantly stopped but the belt 26 may slip on its pulleys until shaft 25 is stopped by abutment of a blade 30 with finger 32.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, it has not been found necessary to provide hammers 16 for all of the tone plates 6 in order to play the desired tune. The tone plates 0 in the central part of the frame have not been needed for the present purposes, and, although they may be sounded by manual actuation of the piano by keys Z), they are not sounded automatically by the described mechanism.

Fixed on the central portion of shaft 10 is a drum 39 which is arranged to move a sheet 40. The latter preferably has a plurality of perforations d1 therein or may be otherwise formed to simulate the perforated music sheet of a player piano. Preferably there are as many rows of perforations as there are disks 20 and preferably the perforations of each row correspond to and represent the angular positioning of the pins 23 in different disks 20. Forwardly of drum 39 is a boxlike inclosure 42 secured to the front 1 wall of easing A, and a window 43 is provided in the front wall (Figs. 1 and 7) through which the perforated sheet 40 is visible, the inclosure 42 serving to conceal all. other parts of the mechanism incasing A except the sheet 10. The desired object is to move the latter by the automatic player mechanism so that the sheet 40 is visible through window 43, as shown in Fig. 1. The movement of sheet 40 may be accomplished in any desired manner, the only essential being that the sheet move and be visible through window 43 when the tone plates are automatically struck. One simple and advantageous manner of accomplishing the desired result is to wrap the strip l0 around the periphery of the drum 39 and secure it thereto. This method is advantageous since the construction is made particularly simple and inexpensive and is satisfactory unless it is necessary to utilize all of the tone plates 6.

When all of the latter are to be provided with hammers 16 and their associated actuating means, the perforated sheet may be mounted as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. Upper and lower shafts 45 are mounted above and below window 43, respectively, and one thereof is connected by a belt 16 to shaft 10. Drums 47 are provided on shafts 45 and the perforated sheet 40 is belted over the drums. Shafts 10 and 45 are so connected that one revolution of the former will cause sheet 40 to travel through one complete cycle. With the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, the central portion of shaft 10 is left free to receive other disks 20 and their associated devices, and the inclosure 4:2 is rendered unnecessary since sheet 40 may be made to move closely adjacent the window 43, as shown.

The piano is furthermore provided with two pedals 50 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are so formed and mounted as to simulate the actuating pedals of a player piano. Referring to Fig. 3, pedals 50 are hinged at 51 to cas ing A and secured to each is a bar 52 which extends rearwardly through a slot in casing A into the latter and underlies a cam 53 fixed on the described shaft 25. Springs 54 serve to hold the bars 52 against their respective cams and the latter, which in this instance are eccentrics, are arranged in opposition as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Thus, as

shaft 25 revolves the pedals 50 are automatically moved up and down in alternation in the same manner that the pedals of a player piano would move when actuated by an operator.

The piano may be operated in the ordinary manner as any toy piano by manual manipulation of keys Z) or when desired it may be automatically operated to play a given tune. W'hen automatic operation of the piano is desired, rod 36 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, which removes pin 34: from hole 35 and finger 32 from the blades 30 and allows shaft 10 to be driven from the motor C by the described connections. As the shaft revolves, the pins 23 engage pins 22 which lift and release the hammers 16 in the desired order to produce the desired tune. The tune is completed by one revolution of shaft 10, and, as the automatic playing ends, the hole 35 comes into alinement with pin 34 allowing the latter to be forced therein by spring 37 to stop shaft 10.

During the automatic operation of the piano, the perforated sheet 40 moves in back of window 4-3 and is visible therethrough. The provision of the sheet 40 is an important feature of the toy. The sheet, a simulation of the music sheet of a. real player piano, is visible to the operator in a similar manner as is the music sheet of the real player piano, and the operator, usually a child, receives the impression that the sheet 40 is causing the automatic playing. The effect produced is much the same as that produced in the player pianos, for in each case the operator sees the perforations 41 move and, as each perforation moves past a given point, hears a note sounded which seemingly is controlled by the perforation. The provision of the perforated sheet is, therefore, of considerable importance in the toy for, although it does not actually func-' tion to control the sounding of the notes, it does function to create this impression and accordingly to amuse the child.

Thus, I have provided an improved toy which resembles and may be utilized much in the fashion of a player piano for the purpose of amusing children. The invention has been described in a preferred form for the purposes of illustration, but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

WVhat I claim is 1. A musical toy, comprising, a casing formed to resemble a piano, a musical instrument within the casing, a mechanism to automatically operate the instrument to produce a tune, and a member movable by said mechanism and formed to simulate a perforated music sheet of a player piano, said member being visible from without the casing, whereby said member has the appearance of controlling the playing of said instrument.

2. The combination with a separately operable toy piano, of mechanism automatically operable when desired to play the piano, and a member movable by said mechanism and formed to simulate a perforated music sheet of a player piano, said member being visible from without the piano to produce the impression of controlling the auto matic operation of the piano.

3. The combination with a separately o-perable toy piano and its casing of automatic mechanism concealed within the latter to operate the piano, a drum rotatable by said mechanism and a perforated sheet which covers the periphery of said drum and is visible from without the casing, said sheet being arranged to simulate the music sheet of a player piano and to seemingly control said mechanism.

4. A musical toy, comprising, a casing formed to resemble a piano, a musical instrument concealed within the casing, automatic mechanism to operate said instrument to produce a tune, a member movable by said mechanism and formed in simulation of a perforated music sheet of a player piano, pedals mounted outside the casing, and means operable from said mechanism to move the pedals, said movable sheet being visible from without the casing and adapted together with the movable pedals to simulate the visible movable parts of a player piano.

FREDERICK A. HOSCHKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

